That’s what our dining table looks like after several hours of eating, conversation and pacifying a baby. It’s like viewing the landscape of a friendship, and my heart is overflowing with thankfulness. Dear friends of ours were in town for a few days, and we were able to make a dinner visit work, and after they left I sit telling Husband that I basically had a perfect evening.
What made it so good?
Zero comparison thinking. I wasn’t meditating on how anyone looked in comparison with each other, cooking and food was barely on my mind, Small One wasn’t my trophy for good parenting for the evening, and the list could go on and on. I wasn’t comparing myself to anyone, I wasn’t comparing anyone of us to someone else.
In other words I entered into our time together; I was fully present as myself and fully able to enjoy Husband, Small One and our friends for who they are, and it was so good. It was perfect.
I feel full now after conversation that involved genuine listening and honest sharing; the food was tasty but even better it was easy to prepare and cook and the sort of meal that leaves plenty left over for tomorrow. I even enjoyed someone else’s baby, which is not normal for me. My baby quota is almost completely met by Small One, and what I mean by that is I have zero need or desire to be around other people’s children (with some adorable exceptions). But tonight, I had fun with adults, with babies, with food, with stories, with pain, with joy, with everything. All of it.
So here’s my truth for the day about comparison as a result of this evening:
Living without comparison frees us to enter into our present moment, to taste it fully, to enjoy it deeply and to love fearlessly.
I’m writing daily in October as part of The Nester’s 31 Days challenge, check out day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9. Head over to the Nesting Place for other great 31 Days topics.
